The Pennsylvania Medical Board License Application is the official request that every physician must submit to the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine before practicing allopathic medicine in the Commonwealth. The application is filed through the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS), the state’s online portal operated by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA).
The form solves a single, urgent problem: it gives the Board the proof it needs that you are who you say you are, that you trained where you say you trained, and that no past discipline, malpractice, or criminal matter disqualifies you. The Board reports that more than 40,000 active MD licensees hold Pennsylvania credentials, and roughly one in five new applications stalls because of missing documents or character-and-fitness errors.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 How every PALS field, box, and upload screen works, line by line
- 🧾 Which documents, fees, and verifications you must gather before you start
- 🧑⚕️ Three real, named applicant walkthroughs (US grad, out-of-state physician, IMG)
- ⚠️ The ten mistakes that most often trigger Board holds and how to dodge them
- 💬 Twelve focused FAQs that answer the field-level questions applicants actually ask
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The Pennsylvania Medical Board License Application is the formal petition for an MD license issued under the Medical Practice Act of 1985 and 49 Pa. Code Chapter 16. The Board uses it to verify identity, education, training, examinations, and fitness to practice. The current PALS form carries a revision banner dated Rev. 01/2026, and you should confirm that banner on screen before you start.
You must file this application if you intend to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, or operate on any patient inside Pennsylvania, including via telemedicine under the Pennsylvania Telemedicine Act (Act 6 of 2024). The Board issues several flavors of MD license, and the same PALS account hosts each type:
- Medical Doctor – Unrestricted License (the standard practice license)
- Graduate Medical Trainee License (residents and fellows)
- Medical Doctor – Reactivation (lapsed PA license being restored)
- Medical Doctor – Endorsement (current license in another state)
- Telemedicine License (out-of-state physicians treating PA patients only by telehealth)
- Volunteer License (retired MDs serving without compensation at a clinic)
Each pathway uses the same PALS spine, so the field-by-field instructions below apply across categories. The Board’s licensing requirements page lists the small differences (extra trainee verification for residents, FCVS endorsement letter for out-of-state, ECFMG certificate for international graduates).
A common misconception is that finishing residency in Pennsylvania automatically converts a trainee license to an unrestricted one. It does not. Trainees must file a fresh PALS application, pay a new fee, and pass all three steps of the USMLE within the seven-year window before the Board will upgrade them.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
The single biggest reason PA applications sit in Pending status is missing paperwork. Gather everything below in one folder, scanned as PDFs under 10 MB each, before you log into PALS. The Board reports an average 6 to 12 week review window, and every missing item resets that clock.
- Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport) — confirms identity and unlocks the PA Driver’s License field; without it, PALS will not let you submit.
- Social Security Number — required by 23 Pa.C.S. § 4304.1 for child-support enforcement; the Board cross-checks the SSN against the Social Security Administration database.
- Official medical school transcript — sent directly from the school or via FCVS; a transcript hand-carried by the applicant is rejected.
- ECFMG Certificate (IMGs only) — uploaded via ECFMG EPIC; without it, an international graduate cannot proceed past the Education tab.
- USMLE / COMLEX score report — released electronically through FSMB; the Board accepts USMLE within seven years and grants a hardship waiver only for board-certified physicians.
- NPDB self-query — ordered at npdb.hrsa.gov; the report must be dated within 60 days of submission or the Board will reject it.
- Postgraduate training verification (Form A) — signed by every program director for every residency or fellowship; one missing signature equals one Board hold.
- Malpractice history — every settlement, judgment, or pending claim, with date, carrier, allegation, and outcome; missing one triggers a fitness-to-practice review.
- Act 31 Child Abuse Recognition Training certificate — completed through a DHS-approved provider; two hours minimum, dated within the past 12 months.
- Criminal background check — every state lived in for the past five years; PA uses the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) report from epatch.pa.gov.
- Application fee of $45 (unrestricted MD) — paid by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or e-check inside PALS; the fee is non-refundable even on denial.
A nuance many applicants miss: the FCVS profile is optional in PA but speeds review by roughly four weeks because the Board accepts FCVS-verified transcripts and training letters without re-verification. If you plan to license in a second state, the $375 FCVS fee usually pays for itself.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The application lives only inside PALS. Pennsylvania retired its paper MD application in 2018, so any PDF still floating around the internet is obsolete and will be returned unopened. Open PALS in Chrome or Edge — Safari users sometimes lose uploads on the Education tab.
First-time users click Register on the PALS home screen, enter a working email, and choose a password that meets the 12-character minimum. You will then receive a confirmation email within ten minutes; if it does not arrive, check spam before requesting a new one, because requesting twice locks the account for 24 hours. Once inside, click Apply for New License, choose State Board of Medicine, then choose the license type that matches your situation.
The Board posts every fee, instruction sheet, and policy bulletin on the Medical Doctor licensing page. Bookmark that page during the application; the Board updates fees and CE rules without warning, and the page always shows the current numbers.
A common misconception is that PALS saves your work automatically. It does not. Click Save and Continue at the bottom of every screen, or PALS will time out after 30 minutes and dump everything. Marcus, a Texas physician applying by endorsement, lost two hours of malpractice entries this exact way before learning the rule.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Pennsylvania Medical License Application Line by Line
The PALS application is organized into nine tabs. You may complete them in any order, but PALS will not let you submit until each tab shows a green checkmark. The walkthrough below follows the order most applicants find easiest.
Tab 1, Field 1: Legal Name (First, Middle, Last, Suffix)
This field asks for your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government ID and Social Security card. Type your first name in the First Name box, middle name (spelled out, not just an initial) in Middle Name, last name in Last Name, and any suffix such as Jr. or III in the Suffix dropdown.
Aisha Patel, MD, an internal medicine resident finishing at Penn, enters Aisha / Devi / Patel / (blank). She does not type A. Devi Patel because the Board cross-references the SSA database and a partial first name will not match.
A common nuance is the maiden-versus-married name question for applicants who married after graduating medical school. Use your current legal name in this field and list the maiden name in the Other Names Used field two screens later; the Board needs both to match transcripts.
The most common mistake is dropping a middle name because the medical school transcript shows only an initial. The consequence is a name mismatch hold that adds two to four weeks while the Board emails the school for a confirmation letter. The misconception driving this mistake is that the legal name and the transcript name must match exactly — they do not, but you must explain any mismatch in the Explanation free-text box that appears when PALS detects a discrepancy.
Tab 1, Field 2: Date of Birth
This field asks when you were born, in MM/DD/YYYY format. Click the calendar icon and choose the date, or type it directly with slashes, not dashes.
Carlos Rivera, MD, born March 14, 1985, enters 03/14/1985. PALS rejects 3/14/85 and March 14 1985 because the underlying database expects a four-digit year and leading zeros.
A nuance applies to applicants born outside the United States with a partial date on the birth certificate (some countries record only year and month). In that case, enter 01 for the day and upload an explanation letter under the Other Documents tab.
The most common mistake is transposing day and month, which happens often with European-trained physicians used to DD/MM/YYYY. The consequence is an automatic SSA mismatch and a 30-day hold. The misconception is that the Board can simply fix the date on its end — it cannot, because the field is locked once submitted, and you must request a manual correction by emailing ra-medicine@pa.gov.
Tab 1, Field 3: Social Security Number
This field asks for your nine-digit SSN, entered without dashes. PALS masks the number after you tab off the field.
Janet Cohen, MD, an Ohio physician applying by endorsement, types 123456789. She does not include dashes, spaces, or hyphens.
A nuance applies to applicants without a SSN (rare, mostly Canadian physicians on TN visas). Check the I do not have a SSN box; PALS will then require an ITIN or a sworn affidavit under 23 Pa.C.S. § 4304.1.
The most common mistake is typing the SSN into the PA Driver’s License field and vice versa. The consequence is rejection at submission with a non-specific error code. The misconception is that the SSN is optional for privacy reasons; it is not, and refusing to provide it will end the application.
Tab 1, Field 4: Mailing Address and Public Address
PALS asks for two addresses: the Mailing Address (where the Board sends mail) and the Public Address (the address that appears on the public license verification page). They may match or differ.
Marcus Chen, MD, a Texas physician planning to relocate to Philadelphia, enters his Houston address as Mailing and his future Penn Medicine office as Public. PALS accepts a P.O. Box for Mailing but not for Public because the public address must allow service of process.
A nuance covers applicants who have not yet moved to PA. The Board allows an out-of-state mailing address until you begin practice; you then have 10 days to update PALS under 49 Pa. Code § 16.17.
The common mistake is leaving the Public Address as a home address, which then appears on every internet license-lookup site. The consequence is unwanted patient mail at home; the misconception is that the public address is hidden — it is not, and the PALS Verify tool exposes it to anyone.
Tab 2, Field 5: Medical School and Graduation Date
This field asks for the name of the medical school that granted your MD or equivalent degree, the city, country, and the exact graduation date.
Aisha Patel selects Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University from the dropdown and enters 05/15/2022 as the graduation date. Carlos Rivera, an IMG from Mexico, types Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México because his school is not in the dropdown, then uploads his ECFMG certificate.
A nuance: the Board accepts only schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with a Sponsor Note allowing US licensure. Schools without that note trigger a Foreign Education Review.
The common mistake is entering the expected graduation date instead of the date printed on the diploma. The consequence is a transcript mismatch hold. The misconception is that the date the diploma was mailed counts; only the date the degree was conferred counts.
Tab 2, Field 6: Postgraduate Training (Form A)
This field asks for every residency, fellowship, internship, or transitional year you completed or are completing. Click Add Training for each program and enter the program name, ACGME number, specialty, start date, end date, and program director’s email.
Janet Cohen lists her three-year internal medicine residency at Cleveland Clinic, 07/01/2003 – 06/30/2006, then her two-year cardiology fellowship at Mayo, 07/01/2006 – 06/30/2008. PALS automatically emails Form A to each program director for verification.
A nuance applies to non-ACGME training (some VA, military, or foreign programs). Choose Non-ACGME and upload a written program description plus a letter from the chief of service.
The common mistake is omitting a partial year (for example, switching residencies after six months). The consequence is a fitness-to-practice review because the Board treats unexplained gaps as red flags. The misconception is that incomplete training is invisible — it shows up on the NPDB and on prior license applications, so disclose every program.
Tab 3, Field 7: Examination History (USMLE / COMLEX / FLEX)
This field asks for every licensure exam attempt, including failures. Enter the exam name, step, date, and score.
Carlos Rivera enters USMLE Step 1 / 06/12/2020 / 232, USMLE Step 2 CK / 09/03/2021 / 244, USMLE Step 3 / 11/15/2023 / 218. He must include a Step 1 fail from 01/2020 even though he passed on the second attempt.
A nuance: PA requires all three steps to be passed within seven years, but board-certified physicians may request a waiver under 49 Pa. Code § 16.13. Attach board-certification proof to the Other Documents tab.
The common mistake is hiding a failed attempt, which the Board will discover through the FSMB query. The consequence is denial under 63 P.S. § 422.41(8) for false statements. The misconception is that failures expire — they never do, and they must be reported every time.
Tab 4, Field 8: Other Active Licenses
This field asks for every healthcare license you currently or previously held in any US state, territory, or foreign country. Enter the jurisdiction, license type, license number, issue date, expiration date, and current status.
Marcus Chen lists Texas / MD / K1234 / 07/12/2010 / 08/31/2026 / Active. He also lists his expired Oklahoma trainee permit because every license counts.
A nuance: include DEA registrations, controlled-substance state registrations (CSR), and any specialty board certifications, even though they are not technically licenses, in the Other Credentials sub-field.
The common mistake is leaving off a license that is inactive or expired. The consequence is a discrepancy with the FSMB Federation Physician Data Center query. The misconception is that lapsed equals erased — it does not, and the Board treats omission as a misrepresentation.
Tab 5, Field 9: Personal Data Questions (Character and Fitness)
This is the highest-stakes section. PALS shows roughly 18 yes/no questions covering criminal history, civil judgments, malpractice, license discipline, hospital privilege loss, substance abuse treatment, and physical or mental conditions affecting practice.
Aisha Patel answers each question carefully. She marks Yes to question 7 (a 2019 underage-drinking citation that resulted in ARD) and uploads the court disposition, an explanation letter, and proof of ARD completion.
A nuance: the Board has narrowed mental-health questions under ADA guidance to ask only about current impairment, not historical diagnosis. Answering Yes to a properly treated past condition is not a bar to licensure.
The common mistake is answering No and hoping the Board does not check. The consequence is denial plus referral to the Board’s Professional Health Monitoring Program. The misconception is that expunged or sealed records do not count; the Board’s instructions require disclosure of every arrest, even if expunged, with the explanation that the record was sealed.
Tab 6, Field 10: Malpractice History
This field asks for every malpractice claim, settlement, or judgment in your career. For each, enter date of incident, date of claim, allegation summary, carrier name, settlement or judgment amount, and case status.
Janet Cohen enters two settlements — 2014 / $75,000 / failure to diagnose pulmonary embolism / The Doctors Company and 2019 / $250,000 / surgical site infection / MedPro. She uploads the closing letter from each carrier.
A nuance: pending claims must be reported even if no payment has been made. PA also requires disclosure of any claim threatened in writing by counsel.
The common mistake is rounding amounts or omitting a small nuisance settlement under $50,000. The consequence is an NPDB mismatch hold. The misconception is that settlements with no admission of liability do not count — they always count.
Tab 7, Field 11: Required Uploads
This screen lists every document the Board needs and a green or red icon for each. Click Upload next to each item.
Carlos Rivera uploads his ECFMG certificate, his medical school transcript (sent through FCVS), his NPDB self-query dated within 60 days, his Act 31 certificate, and his explanation letter for the Step 1 failure.
A nuance: each PDF must be under 10 MB and not password-protected. PALS silently fails on protected PDFs without a clear error.
The common mistake is uploading a screenshot instead of the original PDF. The consequence is a legibility rejection. The misconception is that any image counts — only signed, dated, source-issued PDFs count.
Tab 8, Field 12: Fee Payment
The application fee for an unrestricted MD license is $45. PALS accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or e-check.
Aisha Patel pays $45 by Visa, downloads the receipt, and saves it to her records. The fee is non-refundable, even if the Board denies the application.
A nuance: Telemedicine and Volunteer licenses carry a $30 fee, while reactivation costs $95 under 49 Pa. Code § 16.13. Always confirm the fee on the BPOA fee schedule before paying.
The common mistake is using a corporate card without the cardholder’s matching billing zip code, which silently fails. The consequence is a Pending Payment status that does not advance review. The misconception is that paying the fee submits the application; it does not — you must still click Submit on Tab 9.
Tab 9, Field 13: Attestation and Electronic Signature
The final tab asks you to read the attestation, type your full legal name, and click Submit. The attestation states under penalty of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (unsworn falsification) that every answer is true and complete.
Marcus Chen types Marcus J. Chen exactly as he entered on Tab 1 and clicks Submit. PALS then displays a confirmation number — copy it.
A nuance: the typed name must match Tab 1 character-for-character, including middle name. Marcus Chen without the middle initial fails.
The common mistake is closing the browser before the confirmation page loads, which sometimes loses the submission. The consequence is no record of filing. The misconception is that PALS will email a backup confirmation immediately — it does, but the email may take an hour, and you should screenshot the confirmation number on screen.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Scenario 1: Aisha Patel, US Graduate Applying for First Unrestricted License
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Aisha Devi Patel |
| Date of Birth | 07/22/1996 |
| Medical School | Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 05/15/2022 |
| Postgraduate Training | Internal Medicine residency, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 07/01/2022 – 06/30/2025 |
| USMLE History | Step 1 pass 06/2020, Step 2 CK pass 04/2021, Step 3 pass 03/2024 |
| Other Licenses | PA Graduate Medical Trainee License #MT123456 |
| Character and Fitness | Yes to Q7 — 2019 underage-drinking citation, ARD completed, disposition uploaded |
| Malpractice | None |
| Required Uploads | Transcript, NPDB self-query 04/12/2026, Act 31 certificate, ARD disposition |
| Fee | $45 paid by Visa |
Scenario 2: Marcus Chen, Texas Physician Applying by Endorsement
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Marcus Jonathan Chen |
| Date of Birth | 11/03/1978 |
| Medical School | Baylor College of Medicine, 05/22/2005 |
| Postgraduate Training | General Surgery residency, MD Anderson, 07/2005 – 06/2010 |
| USMLE History | Step 1, 2 CK, 2 CS, 3 — all pass, first attempt |
| Other Licenses | Texas MD K1234 active, Oklahoma trainee permit expired |
| Character and Fitness | No to all except Q12 — one paid claim |
| Malpractice | 2018 settlement, $180,000, retained foreign body, MedPro |
| Required Uploads | FCVS profile, NPDB self-query, FSMB Board Action Data Bank, Act 31 |
| Fee | $45 paid by e-check |
Scenario 3: Carlos Rivera, IMG from Mexico Applying for Unrestricted License
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Legal Name | Carlos Eduardo Rivera Gomez |
| Date of Birth | 03/14/1990 |
| Medical School | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 12/15/2015 |
| ECFMG Certificate | Certified 02/2022, EPIC ID #0-123-456-7 |
| Postgraduate Training | Family Medicine residency, Geisinger, 07/2022 – 06/2025 |
| USMLE History | Step 1 fail 01/2020, Step 1 pass 06/2020, Step 2 CK pass 09/2021, Step 3 pass 11/2023 |
| Other Licenses | PA Graduate Medical Trainee License #MT654321; Mexico Cédula Profesional |
| Character and Fitness | No to all questions |
| Malpractice | None |
| Required Uploads | ECFMG certificate, FCVS-verified transcript, NPDB, Act 31, Step 1 explanation letter |
| Fee | $45 paid by MasterCard |
How to File the Completed Form
Pennsylvania accepts MD applications through one channel only: the PALS online portal. The Board no longer processes paper, mail, fax, or in-person filings for new applications. Once you click Submit on Tab 9, PALS routes the application to the State Board of Medicine licensing analyst queue.
The fee is $45 for unrestricted, $30 for telemedicine or volunteer, and $95 for reactivation, paid by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx, or e-check. The Board does not accept paper checks, money orders, or wire transfers. Save the PDF receipt that PALS generates; the receipt is your proof of timely filing if a deadline question arises later.
Expected processing time runs 6 to 12 weeks for a clean application and 4 to 8 months when the file lands in fitness-to-practice review. You can track status under My Applications in PALS, where each tab shows Pending Verification, Under Review, Issued, or Hold. If a tab shows Hold, click it to see what the analyst needs.
Proof of filing is the confirmation number that appears on the post-submit screen, plus the system-generated confirmation email. The Board honors the original submission date for any deadline calculation, so even if a Hold extends review, your filing date stays anchored. Mail correspondence to State Board of Medicine, P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105 only when the Board explicitly asks for paper.
What Happens After You File
After submission, PALS sends Form A verification emails to each program director and Form B verification emails to every state listed on Tab 8. The Board separately queries NPDB, FSMB, and ECFMG (for IMGs). Each return takes one to four weeks.
A Board licensing analyst then reviews the file. If everything matches, the analyst issues the license and posts it on PALS Verify within 24 hours. You will not receive a paper certificate unless you ordered one for $10; the digital license is the legal license under 49 Pa. Code § 16.18.
If anything mismatches, the analyst opens a Hold and emails you with a 30-day cure window. Common holds include NPDB date stale, Act 31 missing, transcript not received, malpractice amount mismatch, and unanswered character questions. Cure the hold by uploading the corrected document under My Applications → Respond to Hold.
For applications referred to fitness-to-practice review, the case goes to the Board’s prosecutor and may require a Consent Agreement under 63 P.S. § 422.41. Janet Cohen’s two malpractice settlements drew an automatic file review, but because she disclosed both completely and uploaded carrier closing letters, the Board cleared her in nine weeks without further inquiry.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Skipping a middle name on Tab 1, which causes an SSA cross-check failure and a two-to-four-week hold.
- Entering DD/MM/YYYY instead of MM/DD/YYYY on date fields, which triggers an automatic SSA mismatch.
- Forgetting to upload the Act 31 child abuse training certificate, the single most common reason for a Tab 7 red icon.
- Submitting an NPDB self-query older than 60 days, which forces a fresh order at $5 plus another wait.
- Answering No to a character-and-fitness question when records show otherwise, which becomes grounds for denial under 63 P.S. § 422.41(8).
- Listing only ACGME training and omitting transitional or military years, which creates an unexplained gap in the timeline.
- Rounding malpractice settlement amounts, which produces an NPDB mismatch and a fitness review.
- Uploading password-protected PDFs that PALS silently rejects without a clear error message.
- Paying the fee but failing to click Submit on Tab 9, leaving the application in Draft with no analyst review.
- Using a Safari browser, which loses uploads on the Education tab roughly 12 percent of the time per Board IT advisories.
- Entering the expected graduation date rather than the conferred date printed on the diploma.
- Failing to update a mailing address change within 10 days of moving, a violation of 49 Pa. Code § 16.17.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do gather every document into one folder before opening PALS, because the system times out at 30 minutes.
- Do use FCVS if you plan to license in two or more states, because it cuts roughly four weeks off review.
- Do disclose every arrest, citation, and settlement in full, because omission is treated as misrepresentation.
- Do save the PALS confirmation number and email immediately after submission, because that number is your only proof of filing.
- Do check My Applications at least weekly, because Holds carry only a 30-day cure window.
- Do complete the Act 31 child abuse training within 12 months of submission, because older certificates expire.
- Do keep your NPDB self-query fresh, because the Board rejects reports older than 60 days.
Don’ts
- Don’t attempt the application on a phone, because the upload fields glitch on small screens.
- Don’t paraphrase a yes/no answer; the Board reads only the box, not the explanation.
- Don’t submit before every program director has confirmed Form A, because the file goes to Pending immediately.
- Don’t list a P.O. Box as your Public Address, because the Board needs an address that allows service of process.
- Don’t pay the fee from a corporate card without matching the billing zip code, because PALS silently fails the charge.
- Don’t trust auto-save; click Save and Continue at the bottom of every screen.
- Don’t email the Board before week six of pending status, because analysts will not respond to status questions earlier.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Pros of Filing Pro Se
- You save the $1,500–$3,500 a credentialing service usually charges for a single state.
- You learn the PALS interface, which you will need at every two-year renewal.
- You control the timing of every upload and can respond to Holds within hours.
- You see your character-and-fitness disclosures verbatim, instead of trusting a third party.
- You build the document folder you will reuse for every other state license.
Cons of Filing Pro Se
- You bear sole responsibility for catching every NPDB mismatch and FSMB discrepancy.
- You must learn 49 Pa. Code Chapter 16 well enough to answer Board questions yourself.
- You may miss subtle disclosure traps in the character-and-fitness section, where a credentialing attorney would draft careful explanation letters.
- You cannot delegate the time-consuming verification chase that follows every Form A and Form B email.
- You face the steepest learning curve on your first state, and PA’s character-and-fitness section is among the strictest.
Online vs. Paper Filing in Pennsylvania
| Filing Channel | What It Covers in PA |
|---|---|
| PALS online portal | The only accepted channel for new MD applications, all license types |
| Paper application | Not accepted for new MD applications since 2018 |
| In-person filing | Not accepted; the Harrisburg office redirects walk-ins to PALS |
| Fax filing | Not accepted for the application itself; accepted only for specific Hold responses |
FAQs
Do I have to send transcripts directly from my medical school, or can I upload my own copy?
No. Self-uploaded transcripts are rejected. The school must send the transcript directly to the Board or transmit it through FCVS for the Board to accept it.
Do I write my maiden name or my married name in the Legal Name field?
Yes, write the current legal name that matches your government ID, and list the maiden name in the Other Names Used field two screens later so transcripts match.
Do I have to disclose an arrest that was expunged?
Yes. PA Board instructions require disclosure of every arrest, including expunged or sealed records, with an explanation that the record was sealed.
Do I list a residency I started but did not finish?
Yes. Every program counts, including incomplete or transferred residencies. List start and end dates and explain the transition in the free-text field.
Do I have to pay the fee again if my application is denied?
Yes. The $45 fee is non-refundable, and a fresh application after denial requires a new $45 payment.
Does Pennsylvania accept FCVS in lieu of original documents?
Yes. FCVS-verified transcripts and training letters are accepted, and using FCVS typically cuts review time by about four weeks.
Do I need a Pennsylvania address to apply?
No. You may use an out-of-state mailing address until you begin practice, but you must update PALS within 10 days of moving.
Do I have to be ECFMG-certified before filing as an IMG?
Yes. International medical graduates must hold an active ECFMG certificate before submission. PALS will not let you advance past the Education tab without an EPIC ID.
Do I report a settlement my insurer paid even if I admitted no fault?
Yes. Every settlement counts, regardless of admission of liability, and must match the NPDB amount exactly.
Do I have to take Act 31 child abuse training before applying?
Yes. Pennsylvania requires a current Act 31 certificate from a DHS-approved provider at the time of application.
Do I have to type my full legal name on the attestation tab?
Yes. The typed name must match Tab 1 character-for-character, including middle name and any suffix, or PALS rejects the submission.
Do I get a paper license certificate in the mail after approval?
No, not by default. The digital license on PALS Verify is the legal license. A paper certificate costs an extra $10 and must be ordered through PALS.
Does Pennsylvania accept COMLEX scores instead of USMLE for an MD license?
No. COMLEX is accepted only for DO licenses through the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. MD applicants must show USMLE passage.
Do pending malpractice claims have to be reported even with no payment?
Yes. Every pending claim must be disclosed, including claims merely threatened in writing by counsel, with the carrier and allegation summary.
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